According to tech landscape experts, 500 billion devices will be connected to the internet globally by 2030. With this prediction alone, the demand for software engineers is set to soar to unimaginable heights. The big question becomes, what does this look like for the tech landscape in South Africa and how will this affect those who’ve been previously disenfranchised?
Arnold Sigauque, founder of Kasi digital, raised his hand to become a part of the solution that we need in our country’s tech landscape. Through Kasi digital, a skills development initiative, Arnold aims to produce 1000 software developers by 2025. His target in particular, is young people from South African townships who’ll be taught how to build mobile and web applications. So far, Kasi digital has already piloted this initiative with young people between the ages of 19 and 25 at the Tshwane Hub in Mamelodi, a township in the Eastern region of our country’s capital.
In 2021, the Africa Developer Report from Google revealed that there are a total of 716 000 software developers in Africa. Out of this total figure, South Africa is leading its sister countries with a total of 121 000 developers. Ours as a country, is to peruse the segmentation of this figure by asking ourselves of the percentage that represents young people from unfavourable backgrounds and what needs to be done if the findings reflect any lack of inclusivity. In the same breath and light, we need to juxtapose this to the readiness of South Africa from a digital infrastructure point of view that will accommodate the emergence of this tech landscape.
Fortunately for us, the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) has created an integrated approach to infrastructure development. Their approach is designed in a way that ensures an impactful delivery of development finance solutions that will help push digital transformation in South Africa. They do this by engaging public and private stakeholders for project funding to be channelled towards the development of digital infrastructure from implementation to completion. A great example of this would be projects that they’ve facilitated that have resulted in the significant expansion of connectivity infrastructure across the SADC region that is augmented by the undersea cables that connect Africa with the rest of the world. Particularly, four connectivity corridors which are Africa-Europe, Africa-Latin America-US, Africa-Asia and the African-region. According to the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), this global connectivity has, in turn, stimulated opportunities to address the gaps in the access network which is the so-called last-mile infrastructure.
Now that we are assured of the government’s intervention, we look back to active citizens such as Arnold Sigauque who keep tilling the fertile ground of South Africa’s tech startup ecosystem by ensuring that no one is left behind and that the youth become active participants in this tech ecosystem. He is also a founding member of Darkies in Tech, a community of over 250 black entrepreneurs and professionals who keep fueling the demand for growth in our advancing economy. As Brand South Africa, we are more than pleased to have Arnold as part of our ‘Play Your Part’ ambassadors who fly our national flag high. You can also join him in being active citizens, all you have to do is look around and find these societal gaps that you can fill. Together, let’s play our collective part in advancing digital transformation in South Africa.
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